CRICKET AUSTRALIA DECLARES OPTUS OFFICIAL MOBILE MULTIMEDIA PARTNER

Optus and Cricket Australia today announced a three-year sponsorship agreement that includes streaming hundreds of hours of on demand unique cricket content.

From 29 October, eligible Optus customers that love cricket will be treated to a free Cricket Australia Live Pass, giving them year-round access to cricket action on their mobile, tablet or laptop.

The new agreement means Optus will also have access to a comprehensive sponsorship program which includes on-ground signage at international matches, access to Australian players for promotional purposes, as well as tickets, hospitality and money-can’t-buy-experiences for customers.

With a CA Live Pass on cricket.com.au or the CA Live App, Optus customers can access the best cricket action this summer on their mobile or tablet devices, powered by Optus’ superfast 4G Plus network. Customers can also enjoy the CA Live Pass via a mobile broadband or home broadband service.

Eligible Optus customers on Optus’ latest mobile plans will also be able to stream live matches on the CA Live Pass, data free.

Allen Lew, Optus’ Chief Executive Officer said, “Cricket marks the start of Australia’s summer sporting calendar. And what better way to reaffirm our commitment to delivering the best premium entertainment for our customers than bringing them Australia’s national sport. Best of all, customers covered by the Optus 4G Plus network will have a fast and smooth internet experience when they’re streaming the summer of cricket with Optus.

“This partnership with Cricket Australia marks a significant milestone for Optus as we transform to become a content-led telecommunications provider. Increasingly, customers look to Optus for an experience they can’t get anywhere else. Our focus on premium content will play an important role in our strategy as we seek to differentiate ourselves,” Mr Lew said.

Cricket Australia’s Chief Executive Officer, James Sutherland said, “In this rapidly changing digital world, we’re delighted that Optus has chosen cricket to reward and incentivise its millions of customers.

“The cricket content on our digital properties is being consumed in record numbers by fans around the world and we’re glad that through this new partnership we can offer Optus customers a range of exclusive content developed just for them. This is a very exciting partnership for Australian cricket and in many ways helps support the game’s privileged position as Australia’s favourite sport,” Mr Sutherland said.

What’s included?

Cricket Australia’s highly successful online and mobile platforms will stream all this summer’s international cricket action and the entire BBL series, both on and off the pitch. The year-round pass includes access to more than 70 scheduled match days of premium cricket including:

• Commonwealth Bank Test Series featuring Australia, New Zealand and the West Indies;
• Victoria Bitter One-Day International Series featuring Australia and India;
• KFC T20 International Series featuring Australia and India; and
• KFC Big Bash League.

Exclusive for Optus customers

It doesn’t end with live match coverage. Optus cricket fans will get the added benefit of exclusive online content. At cricket.com.au/Optus they will be able to get:

• extended match highlights – covering all the big moments and events of the day;
• complete media conferences;
• The Optus Top 6 – an irreverent series hosted by an Australian cricket legend;
• player interviews and insights with members of the Australian men’s and women’s cricket teams; and
• highlights of classic matches direct from the Cricket Australia archive.

Notes to Editors:

• Live Streaming is only available to watch within Australia. There may be a slight delay between live broadcast and streamed content. Delays can range between 10 to 30 seconds. There could also be a number of variables that affect your streaming such as internet connection speed, congestion or the number of applications you have running.

• Live Streaming is available on a range of devices including Android 4.0 and up, iOS devices including iPhone and iPad, and is accessible on iOS7 and iOS8 devices. Live streaming is not available on Windows phones.

Media contacts:

Gabrielle Crittenden

Optus Corporate Affairs

(02) 8082 7850

Tim Whittaker

Cricket Australia Communications

M: +61 433 170 815